There are now more than 3 million cases of the virus worldwide. We are just shy of a million cases here and have had more than 56,000 deaths so far. A report in the Washington Post says the country's death rate mysteriously soared just before the coronavirus outbreak. Could these deaths also have been the virus that had not been detected as of yet?
A new study shows that the virus lingers in the air of crowded spaces. Airlines are now (finally) requiring passengers to wear masks. In the wake of several meat processing plants closing and other issues, Tyson Foods is already warning of a food chain breakdown.
It has been reported that 36 people have tested positive for the virus in the wake of Wisconsin's controversial primary earlier this month. The White House issued new guidelines for testing at yesterday's news conference on the virus.
Six counties in California are asking Governor Newsom to re-open, while six other counties in the Bay Area are extending the shelter-in-place orders. The governor said that the state as a whole was still weeks away from re-opening. The city of Clovis started allowing pet salons to re-open yesterday.
Elsewhere, the mayor of Boston said that the city is not ready to re-open May 4th. Mississippi and Iowa are re-opening non-essential businesses.
The president has been musing about denying financial assistance to Democrat-run states. Is that even legal? Hello? We are the "United States". We pay federal taxes. How much of the Gross National Product does California alone bring in? Uh, about 3.14 trillion--far more than any other state. I'm sure the West Coast would love to secede from the union if we could. GEEZ!
A top emergency room doctor in Manhattan was so shaken by the toll of the coronavirus, that she took her own life. She was one of several front line workers who have done so.
There have been 28 teachers in New York City that have succumbed to the virus.
Last week's bizarre-O recommendation of using UV light and/or injecting disinfectant internally by Trump have had spin doctors scrambling to cover up for him. The president on Monday says that he takes no responsibility for spike in people using disinfectants inappropriately.
The Washington Post reported 33 times that the president downplayed the coronavirus.
My mom sent me a link with an article about virus hunters looking for bats and how the virus crosses from animals to humans.
Locally, 10 people at a nursing home in Fresno and another 10 from a nursing home in Visalia tested positive for the coronavirus.
Two lakes in the North Valley opened up--with restrictions.
Creativity in this crazy time has been amazing. The website Dread Central recently held the Outbreak Breakout Short Film Contest, asking amateur filmmakers to make a 2-minute or less horror film about the cornoavirus outbreak. There were many entries. The winners and their entries were posted online yesterday.
Musical satirist Randy Rainbow has unleashed a new video parodying the president's call to use disinfectants internally to kill the coronavirus.
A lot of the entertainment world are trying to adjust to social distancing. There is some sort of reunion special in the works with the cast of PARKS AND RECREATION coming on Thursday. Long-time favorite SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE has done two episodes remotely. Below is the opening of the most recent episode featuring Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci:
Current SNL star Pete Davidson and former cast member Adam Sandler teamed for this music video STUCK IN MY HOUSE (with a cameo by Rob Schneider), which also debuted on the show last weekend.
Actor Josh Gad (who voiced Olaf the snowman in FROZEN) gathered the cast of GOONIES together for a remote reunion. The goal of the reunion is to raise money for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to help those in areas of the world where the virus is hitting hardest and there are not many resources available to help.
The artist SHAG has released another page to color---for something fun to do while home.
"I'm writing slowly," he said. "I'm at the point where I'm old and don't have much to say. But I'm okay with it right now. There are enough words out there already."
Yesterday, I shared Scott's tweet about going to the store. I sent him a note and asked for more details about his excursion out of the house.
"Most people obeyed the one-direction aisles but enough didn't that it made the effort worthless, and even then it was impossible to maintain six feet because people shopped at different speeds," he said of his experience. "This was a Publix and I imagine it is more progressive in tactics than some other stores around here. For instance, the Lowe's Foods, where we pick up curbside, I can tell most people going in don't have masks, and NONE of the men did. College-age kids of either gender don't wear masks. This will be with us for a long time.
"It's almost true enough that you can tell who watches Fox News because they won't wear a mask, even if it would save their lives. And of course they don't care a bit how many others they kill in the meantime. I favor a mask requirement with a $1,000 fine, like some places in Cali and Germany are doing.
"I'm concerned that we don't have what it takes as a society to address these problems together. Too much individualism, hubris, American exceptionalism, science denial, and utter lack of central government planning. As I've said plenty of times, we're terrible at everything this moment requires. All we can do is stay safe and help others as best we can
"We're doing just fine so far. I'm a recluse anyway and we don't have any debt, so the economy won't affect our lives too much."
My friend David in Australia shot me a note yesterday evening. He let me know how things are going in quarantine in the land down under.
"I hope you are not getting yourself down with the daily COVID updates," he said. "I have found switching off from news updates for a few days can really help.
"Australia is not doing too bad. We have had days recently with no new cases nationwide, so a couple of states and one territory are starting to ease restrictions. Nothing crazy, but soon people will be able to gather in groups of ten again (at the moment it's two)...and people will be able to go camping and fishing so long as it is within 50 km of their homes.
"We aren't really allowed to travel too far. My work colleague Theo recently got pulled over by the police and let off with a warning because he went to a Subway for lunch, which was located one suburb over. They asked why he didn't go to the one closer to home and he replied he had had a bad experience there.
"I have been creative with the rules, but not in a reckless way. For example, Pablo was in the middle of learning to drive when the lock down occurred. So, now we go on small driving lessons (which, on their own, are not allowed) to get petrol or groceries (a trip that is allowed). Luckily, I have a broken toe, so I have an excuse as to why Pablo is driving instead of me. Did I say 'luckily'? Ha ha ha. I never would I have believed a broken bone could be used as a positive."
David also included a link from an Australian news source comparing the beaches there with California's after some of the beaches were opened over the weekend. It also details how Australia was quashing its infection rate.
I had a doctor's appointment today. It was with my cardiologist. I was asked several questions and had my temperature taken before I was allowed into the building. The waiting room, which is usually packed, was pretty much empty...but I still had to wait and my appointment ran late.
I was wearing a mask and was pleasantly surprised to see the entire staff wearing masks (which was the opposite of what I had experienced a few days earlier at my primary's office). I believe all of the patients I saw were masked as well.
I had gone to see my cardiologist because my blood pressure had been crazy high for a week or so and my legs and feet--especially my right foot--were swollen. The doctor had told me swelling was caused by heart failure, but I also wanted to double check my medications. Could they be the problem? My meds have been all messed up, thanks to a horrible cardiologist I'd had for a month the previous fall.
The medical assistant who took my vitals reported that my blood pressure was fine, 128/83 or something like that. I was flabbergasted. I think my high blood pressure of the past few weeks was caused by the stress of the neighbors and the fence issue. I'm glad my body seems to be chilling out over that finally.
The doctor came in and we discussed my swelling. Previously he had told me the swelling was due to heart failure. He thought my swollen foot was due to a venous problem instead of a cardiac issue. I reminded him that a few years back I had been seeing a neurologist for my muscle weakness who then referred me to a venous specialist who had convinced me my problems were due to the valves in my great saphenous vein not working correctly. He ablated my right great saphenous vein. I was worried about my blood flow then, but nothing unusual seemed to happen...until now with my feet swelling.
So, my cardiologist wants to do an ultrasound of my leg and see what I have left that still works in there. That is scheduled for May with a follow-up in June.
The doctor then went over my medications with me. I was taking one (metoprolol) that I wasn't supposed to be taking...left over from that previous cardiologist. He thought it was a good idea that I continue taking it as it keeps my heart working slower.
Slower? Would that cause my circulation to not circulate my blood as quickly and leave it in my lower extremities? Is this heart failure through medication? No, he said.
After the doctor's office, I had to go to CVS to pick up some prescriptions. Everyone was masked and there was plenty of separation between staff and customers.
As I left, I realized it was still before 11 in the morning. Oh my stars. That meant that Taco Bell was still serving breakfast. There was a couple trying to go inside, but the doors were locked. I pulled into the drive thru. Was it open?
It was! I ordered some breakfast items and then pulled around to pay at the window.
The girl at the window had on a mask. When it was time to pay, she stuck an ATM card reader out the window on a pole. I inserted my card. She pushed some buttons then had me remove my card. She never touched it.
When my food was ready, she had my bag on a tray and held the tray out for me to grab the bag from. It was all very interesting.
I got my stimulus money via direct deposit a little while back. Yesterday in the mail, I got a letter--the letter that was going to accompany the paper stimulus checks. What the heck? While I was grateful for the stimulus money as I had bills that needed to be paid, did I really need this bogus PR stunt from the White House? Despite the letter being "signed" by Donald Trump (or maybe that is the signature of some second grader just learning how to write?), I know he really had nothing much to do with the money. It's certainly not from his own bank account. How much did these letters cost tax payers anyway?
Today is my friend Shookie's birthday. We are planning a Zoom remote cocktail party with friends to celebrate. I'm looking forward to it, but I so wish we were all together in person. Oh well. It will happen eventually. Some day.
Stay SAFE. Stay SHELTERED. Stay ALIVE.
CHEERS!
Continue to the next part HERE.
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